Self-playing piano.



3 EHEPTB-SHEBT l.

PATENTED BBQ. 25, 1906.

Zl l6 J. W. DARLEY, JR. SELP PLAYING PIANO. APPLICATION FILED OUT 14 1905 Wilma:

PATENTED DEC. 25, 1906. J. w. DARLEY, JR. SELF PLAYING PIANO.

APPLIOATION FILED 0OT.14.1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

i Z l mmun n V V y No. 839,558. PATENTED DEC. 25, 1906.

J. W. DARLEY, JR. SELF PLAYING PIANO.

APPLIOATION FILED OUT. 14. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

O llllll sheet of paper, this application UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ,W. DARLEY, JR, OF BALTIMORE. MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO WILLTAM KN-ABE & COMPANY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

SELF-PLAYING PIANO- Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 25, 1906.

Original application filed July 24, 1905, Serial No. 271,060. Divided and this application filed October 14, 1905- Serial Ho. 282.800-

.To all whom it may concern:

li e it known that 1, JOHN W. DARLEY, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Self-Playing Pianos; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to,

operator or in which the 'notes may be produced by the use of a travelin perforated eing a division of my former application, Serial No. 271,050,111961 July 24, 1905. I

The objects a hinged footboard normally locked to the piano-frame, means for lockin and unlocking said iootboard, means or positively forcing said iootboard outward when-it is unlocked, and means 'for wholly or partially oounterbalancmg the same after it is unlocked.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation of my improved piano with the end casing removed. Figs. 2 and 3 represent the foot-operated pneumatic means in two positions, and Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 represent details of the pneumatic apparatus.

The means for locking and unlocking the keys of the piano, the pivoted hand-rest, the compound bracket, and the pneumatic portions of the instrument are the same as those described in my prior application referredto above and need not be specifically described here, this application being. restricted to the pedal action.

Pivoted on the base-piece of the lane by means of, hinges 1 is the swinging oot 2 of the shape shown in Fig. 1 with its cent'ercut away for the reception of a sup ort for the ordinary pedals. This footboard when fully swung down to strike the floor, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and is provided'with two upwardly-projecting stops 3, having felt or similar cushioning material 4 thereon,

be played in the usual way by anof my invention are to provide 5 usual way or springs of is adapted which stops limit the downward movement of the pedals 5. Each of these pedals is provided with a pair of rounded ears 6, passing loosely around the bar 7, which ears fit in a corres onding depression 8 in the footboard 2. T e bar 7 is so ported in bearings on one edge of the foot card 2. v

At its rear each of the pedals is provided with an extension fitting over a in 9,'and on this pin is pivoted a rearwar -extending arm or link 10, the rear end of which is pivoted on a pin 11, around which is coiled a spring 12, one end of which rests against a stop 13 on. the arm-10 and the other end of which is confined in any suitable way, as by a projection on the bell-crank lever 14.

he bell-crank lever 14 is pivoted at one end to a pin 15, permanently fastened to the frame of the piano, and the other end is piv oted on the pin 11.

16 represents a bellows of an desired t e operated by the movement of t e lever 14 y the following means: A link 17 is fastened on a pin 18 in the lever 14, and the other end of said link 17 is fastened to a bar or rod 19, which is permanently fastened to the mov- 1 able side of the bellows, which is'supported" 21 tends to nore position shown on the hinge 20. A sprin mally hold the bellows in t in Fig. 1.

22 represents the" pneumatic-action case, which operates the piano-action in the usual manner. The upper part of the footboard 2 is provided with a hook portion with which a hook on the rod 11 engages, these parts being the same as described in my former application. Folding down the hand-rest gdisenages this hook, whereupon the s ring 21 lbrces said tion shown in dottedlines in Fig. l'or out to the dotted line 24 of Fig. 2. The strength of the spring 12 may be adjusted in any different strength may be substituted, the result being that the Weight of the footboard 2 may be either ex actly balanced by the spring 12-or that the weight of said footboard being slightly greater than that required to overcome the will slowly all to the floor, thus obviating the necessity of forcibly pulling the footfootboard -out into t e pos1.

but it isobvious that my invention covers all three forms. In anycase the footboard is not liable to suddenly drop upon the feet of the operator, which is a serious objection to most, if not all, of the footboards now in use onself-playing pianos.

Any one of the three constructions described may be used, but in the preferred form the pedals 5 are exactly balanced. As the operator presses the pedal down from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3 he compresses the spring 12, which of course offers resistance. This resistance, together with the fact that the spring 12 has a 'lon er leverage on the pedal 5 and footboard 2 Wien in the position shown in Fig; 3 than it has when in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, balances the efiect of gravity on those parts and causes them to remain in.

any position in which they may be laced,

this description of course referring to t e preferred form. This is necessary, as it is evident that the effect of gravity on these parts will increase as they are moved from the position shown in dotted lines'in Fig. '1 to the position shown in Fig. 2. The parts being in the position shown in Fig. 2, the pedal isfdepressed by the foot to the position shownin Fig. 3, and during this motion of'the pedal the leverage ofthe foot upon the bellows will increase, as will be evident from-the construction of the pedal 5, link 10, and bellcrank lever 14.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new-is' 1. In a'self-playing piano, the'combination of a piano-frame, a key-slip thereon, a

movable footboard, means for'locldng said footboard and connectionswhereby the movement of said key-slip. unlocks said footboard, substantially asde'seribed.

2. In a self-playing piano, the combination of,a piano-trams, a key-slip pivoted thereon, "a swinging footboard hinged to said frame, means for locking said footboard and (connections whereby the swinging down'of said key-slip 'unloc stantial tion withthepiano-frame, of a wardwhen it is unlocked,' substantially as with saidconnections, the parts being so ar-- j said footboard, suby as described. 1 3. In a self-pla'yingpiano; the combinaoted to the fronit ofsaid frame, hinged to said frame,means for locking said footboard, connections whereby the movement of said key-slip unlocks saidfootboard, andmeans for movingsaid footboard outdescribed.

In a self-playing piano, the",co1 nbina-' piano-frame,

key-slip piv a footboard footboard carrying pedals, connections between said pedals and said pneumatic devices for o crating the latter, a lock for holding said 'ootboard up against the pianoframe, and means for balancing said pedals in .every position that they may assume when said footboard is unlocked and swung out, substantially as described.

5. In a self-playing piano, the combination of a swinging footboard hinged to the edals pivoted at one end on said footboard bellows, pivoted connections between said pedals and said bellows, and a spring, said connections and spring being so arranged that the pedal is balanced in every position it can assume when the footboard has een swung out, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a. self-playing piano, the combination of pneumatic devices, a swinging foot-- board carrying pedals, connections between said pedals and said pneumatic devices for operating the latter, a lock for holding said footboard against the piano-frame, means forswinging said footboard outwardly and a spring for counterb'alancing said footboard and pedals in any'posit-ion they may assume when said foot-board is unlocked and swung out, substantially as described. V

'7. In a self-playing piano, the combination of abellows, a spring normally holdingsaid bellows closed, a swinging footboard pivoted near the front of the piano, meansfor locking said footboard in posit-ion, pedals'connected at one end to said footboard, I

pivoted connections between the. other end of each of said edals and said bellows, and a springattach'e 'to said connections, the parts being so arranged that't-he pedals are bah anced in every position they can assume after the footboard has been swung out, substantially as described.

8. In aself-playing' piano, the combination of the piano frame, a swinging foot-- board hinged thereto and-provided with cushioned stops, meansffor locking said footboard to said frame, pedals each attached at one end-to said footboard, a bellows, and pivoted connections between the other end of each of said foot-pedals and said bellows, and

a spring associated with said connections, the parts being so arranged that the pedals are preferably balanced in every position they can assume after the footboard has been swung down, substantially as described.

9. In a self-playing piano, the combination of the frame thereof, a footboard hinged to said frame, means for locking said foot board to said frame, pedals pivoted to said Foot-board. at one end, connections between the other end of each of said pedals andthe frame of the piano, and a; spring associated rangedthat when'the' footboard issunlocked it will automatically swing outwardly a short distance from the piano-frame until it is stopped by said spring, substantially asdescribed.

10. In a self-playing piano, the combination of the frame thereof, a footboard hinged thereto, pedals pivoted at one end to said footboard, links pivoted to the other ends of said pedals respectively, each of said links being provided with a stop, a bell-crank lever pivoted to each of said links, a spring oper- .-atively connected with said stop and with said lever, and a bellows operated by said bell-crank lever, substantially as described. I5

11. In a self-playing piano, the combination of a swinging iootboard provided with cushioned stops, pedals each having one end secured to said footboard, links each -pro vided with a stop secured to the other ends of said pedals,- and to a bell-crank lever, springs bearing against said stop and said lever, bellows, and a link connection between said bell-crank lever and said bellows, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN \V. DAR-LEI 3n. Witnesses:

JNo. H. SrnvERs, JonN CRAMBLITT. 

